Task 1
Start Gate – Halls Creek – Manilla (46km)
The day’s forecast was for isolated showers and thunderstorms, but the conditions turned out to be better than forecast. We assembled on the North launch for a task briefing but just as the window opened we heard reports of the West launch starting to come on. So the entire Aussie Team moved to the West launch and Craig Collings and Andrew took the risk and launched first. The rest of the team quickly followed and we established ourselves at cloud base (1700amsl) and went into a holding pattern for an hour as nobody wanted to lead out. Eventually Viv and Heike decided to start the task and soon after a gaggle of about 20 pilots (including all the male members of the Aussie Team) followed.
As we worked our way across the valley to the rubbish tip and found a climb I was surprised to see that none of the other 100 or so pilots hovering over the launch had started chasing us. The gaggle moved on and then split as some, including Craig C. and Andrew, went off to the right towards the sun and the rest of us went straight for the turnpoint. Our group got a bit of a jump but as we approached the turnpoint it slowed down and Craig C. and Andrew caught back up.
As we turned back for goal I lost track of the other pilots except for Heike who had found the climb for me at the turnpoint. My last climb was 8.5 km from goal and I took it to 1800m just to be sure. Unfortunately Craig D. and Brian dropped short of goal and it looked like Andrew was going to share the same fate, but he somehow managed to hit all the right bubbles over the last few hundred metres and landed on the goal line. During the final glide I was pleased to see a mega gaggle of 50+ pilots struggling towards the first turnpoint. Our team made a great decision to leave the start with the first group.
So, an excellent start for the team with 5 out of 7 team members in goal including both the girls.
From James
The day’s forecast was for isolated showers and thunderstorms, but the conditions turned out to be better than forecast. We assembled on the North launch for a task briefing but just as the window opened we heard reports of the West launch starting to come on. So the entire Aussie Team moved to the West launch and Craig Collings and Andrew took the risk and launched first. The rest of the team quickly followed and we established ourselves at cloud base (1700amsl) and went into a holding pattern for an hour as nobody wanted to lead out. Eventually Viv and Heike decided to start the task and soon after a gaggle of about 20 pilots (including all the male members of the Aussie Team) followed.
As we worked our way across the valley to the rubbish tip and found a climb I was surprised to see that none of the other 100 or so pilots hovering over the launch had started chasing us. The gaggle moved on and then split as some, including Craig C. and Andrew, went off to the right towards the sun and the rest of us went straight for the turnpoint. Our group got a bit of a jump but as we approached the turnpoint it slowed down and Craig C. and Andrew caught back up.
As we turned back for goal I lost track of the other pilots except for Heike who had found the climb for me at the turnpoint. My last climb was 8.5 km from goal and I took it to 1800m just to be sure. Unfortunately Craig D. and Brian dropped short of goal and it looked like Andrew was going to share the same fate, but he somehow managed to hit all the right bubbles over the last few hundred metres and landed on the goal line. During the final glide I was pleased to see a mega gaggle of 50+ pilots struggling towards the first turnpoint. Our team made a great decision to leave the start with the first group.
So, an excellent start for the team with 5 out of 7 team members in goal including both the girls.
From James
posted by Unknown at 9:16 pm
6 Comments:
Go team! Good on you all for leading out, sounds like it was the call of the day. News hits the blogs faster than anywhere else so thanks for updating us all.
Look forward to the scores...happy hunting tomorrow.
Benn.
Great to see the Aussie Team in the top third of the field and ALL in front of the WORLD NO1...you are all kicking some quality ass!
GO FOR IT!!!
Great to see the Aussie team in the top third of the field and ALL the team in front of World No1. You are kicking some quality ass!
GO FOR IT!!!!
6 aussies in goal according to the scores. 200m short for Craig D (doh).
I was a bit mystified as to why the top score was 857 pts, despite day quality being 1000. Apparently no departure or arrival points due to "fickle" conditions.
From reading James's description, it sounds like many waited above the (elapsed time) start. Isn't the point of departure and arrival points to reward those who go early, especially on elapsed time tasks? Would more pilots have risked heading out on course early if dept/arrival points were switched on?
Anyway, a great result for the Aussie team on task, great effort!
Good luck to James and all the team from everyone in Osaka.
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